Dutch to Test 20 People for Radiation Poisoning

Dutch health authorities said on Friday they have called in about 20 people for radiation testing after they stayed in a London hotel where poisoned former Russian FSB agent Alexander Litvinenko also spent time, Reuters news agency reports.

A spokeswoman for the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM) said authorities want to test about 20 Dutch people for the radioactive polonium 210.

â€œSome 20 Dutch people were in the Millennium Hotel in London between October 31 and December 1, the spokeswoman said, declining to comment on who the possibly affected people were and adding that test results were expected in the coming three weeks.

A spokeswoman for the Dutch public prosecuter said she was not aware of any investigation into any of the individuals as possible suspects in the case.

Litvinenko died in a London hospital on November 23 after exposure to polonium 210. In a statement associates released after his death, he accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering his killing. The Kremlin denies involvement.

International police agency Interpol is helping coordinate the investigation into his death, with the trail already running through Germany, Russia and Britain.